A New Trend in Dining Room Tables

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

22 Jan 2009 01:25 PM

My husband and I have been looking at dining room tables lately. We have a round table from IKEA that is really meant to be a game table but is currently being used as our dining room table. It is serviceable, and I don't have to worry too much about the kids scratching it or causing any damage to the table, since it is sturdy and inexpensive.

The main problem with our current table is that it is too small to be used much longer for dining. There are now five of us in t he family, and things get a little crowded. When we have company over, we have to eat in shifts, and often I find myself standing at the kitchen counter with my plate. For holidays, we break out some fold out tables and set them up. But we want a better solution.

My husband likes the look and the intimacy of a round table, but they aren't usually large enough. Plus, even if we did get a round table that was large enough for entertaining, it would be too large for everyday use.

Well, one trend that is occurring solves this problem. Perimeter leaf tables allow for intimate gatherings but still give you enough space for entertaining. Basically, a perimeter leaf table comes with four or five leaves that are shaped as arches. When the leaves are attached, the table is increased by 10-20 inches in diameter. Perimeter leaf tables have been around for a little while from high end manufacturers, but they are now becoming available more mainstream, with prices comparable to that of more traditional rectangular tables, $1,000 to $2,500. Clasp hardware is used to lock the leaves into place.

One more benefit of round tables is that they eliminate the need for captain's chairs (chairs with arms that go at either end of the table), so adding more chairs is easy.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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